Sloane drifted somewhere between waking and unconsciousness, her mind sluggish, her body numb. Darkness clung to her soul, there was pain—faint, distant, like an echo, but she couldn't place where. Couldn't focus.
A voice, muffled and distorted, floated through the haze.
"…lucky she survived…"
Another voice, softer. "…but the baby…"
Something in Sloane stirred. Her baby.
Panic clawed its way up her throat, and suddenly, her eyes snapped open. Blinding light.
She flinched, her breath hitching as her vision swam. The ceiling above her blurred, a familiar wooden structure. She was in the healer's ward.
Her body felt like it had been through hell. Every muscle ached, her throat burned, and her limbs felt heavy as stone. But none of that mattered. Only one thing did.
Her baby.
Sloane's trembling hand flew to her stomach. The moment her palm pressed against it, dread crawled through her.
Empty.
She could feel it instantly, the second heartbeat was gone. The slight heaviness was gone. Her baby…
"No," she choked, her heart slamming against her ribs.
She struggled to sit up, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her vision swimming. A sharp pain shot through her abdomen, but she barely registered it.
"Easy, child," a voice soothed.
Sloane's gaze snapped to the healer standing beside her. The elderly woman wore a kind yet pitiful expression.
"My baby," Sloane rasped. "Where is my baby?"
The healer's face softened, but there was something in her eyes. It was pity.
A high ringing noise filled Sloane's ears, drowning out the healer's words before she even said them. "I'm so sorry, dear," the healer murmured. "You lost the baby."
Sloane stopped breathing. Lost.
No.
No, that wasn't possible. She had survived. Her pup had to have survived too.
"I need to see—" She tried to push herself up, but her body betrayed her, too weak to hold its own weight.
The healer gently pressed her back down. "You need to rest."
Rest?
Her child was gone. What was there left to rest for? Sloane's fingers curled into the thin sheets, her chest rising and falling.
This couldn't be real.
But the ache in her womb, the hollow emptiness where life had once been, told her otherwise. She didn't even get to hold her pup. Didn't even get to say goodbye.
Tears burned her eyes, but before she could break, a sharp knock at the door jolted her.
The healer straightened, a flash of unease crossing her face.
A warrior stepped inside, his expression unreadable. "Olga." He gave a curt nod.
"Already? They can't give even a little bit of time? She just woke up!" The woman, Olga snapped. The irritation clear in her voice.
The warrior doesn't budge at her words, he stared at Sloane. "Sloane, The elders have summoned you to the pack square."
Sloane barely had the strength to speak. "Why?"
The warrior hesitated. "It's about your mating to Alpha Ryland."
Ryland. Oh, how would he feel when he hears of this? When he learns of the loss of their baby? He would be devastated.
She wiped her tears, the elders probably wanted to go ahead with her mating with Ryland. After how it ended.
She swallowed hard and forced herself up. Every movement sent a fresh wave of agony through her body, but she ignored it. She had no choice.
"I'll go," she said, voice hoarse.
The healer frowned. "You're not strong enough—"
"I said I'll go."
The healer sighed but didn't argue further. Olga only muttered under her breath as she fetched a cloak, draping it over Sloane's shoulders. The warrior didn't offer his arm for support as she stood. Her legs wobbled beneath her, the lingering pain in her abdomen sharp and unrelenting. She clenched her jaw and forced herself forward.
The moment Sloane stepped through the doors, the murmurs began.
She felt the weight of their eyes…hundreds of them watching her, whispering.
She barely noticed the cold against her bare feet as she stepped onto the stone path leading to the center of the square. All she saw was him. Ryland. Next to him was Celeste.
And suddenly everything she'd tried to buckle up all came crashing down. Sloane ran, her eyes blurry with unshed tears. She threw herself on Ryland, sobbing. "R-Ryland..our—"
Ryland clenched his jaw tight as he forcefully pulled her arms off him. Sloane stumbled back, her body too weak to brace herself. She barely caught her footing, confusion clouding her tear-streaked face.
She looked up at Ryland, searching for the warmth, the relief, the love that should have been there.
But there was none.
Only coldness.
A sinking dread clawed at her stomach. Her voice wavered, raw and broken. "Ryland… our baby—"
Silence.
"Y-you—" she doesn't get to complete her words.
"Sloane of the Vaeloria pack," An Elder's voice rang through the square. "You have been summoned here to finalize the annulment of your mating to Alpha Ryland."
Sloane blinked, The words didn't make sense. Annulment?
Her eyes flickered to Ryland. His jaw was set, his posture rigid, but his fingers were still laced with Celeste's.
Memories slammed into her all at once.
The attack, The fire, The smoke.
Celeste trapped. Sloane freeing her, and then—Ryland had come.
Not for her.
For Celeste.
Her breath left her in a broken exhale, her body staggering backward as the realization crushed her.
"No," she rasped.
Ryland's gaze was cold. "You cheated on me, Sloane."
Her stomach dropped. What? Her lips parted, but no words came out.
"I was unfortunate to find out the way I did," he continued, voice steady. "But I cannot stand to be with you a second longer."
Sloane's breath quickened. This wasn't real. This wasn't happening.
She looked to her father, searching for something, anything, but he glared at her, his eyes filled with disdain, and then he looked away. Sloane's throat tightened. She disappointed him. She looked around slowly, everyone's gaze was on her, accusing, distrustful.
She shook her head, this had to be a joke. This cannot be happening to her.
A sharp, humorless laugh burst from her lips. "You're accusing me of cheating?" Her voice wavered weakly, but she forced herself to her feet. "You left me to die in that fire, Ryland."
He flinched, just barely but it was enough.
Sloane stepped forward, ignoring the trembling in her limbs. "You ran past me. You chose her." Her gaze snapped to Celeste, who looked away like she didn't care. "You left me trapped in the flames like I was nothing."
Ryland exhaled sharply and turned to the crowd. "Do you see?" His voice rose, filled with exasperation. "This is what she thinks of me." He shook his head. "I have nothing to hide. In fact, I'll show you the truth."
He pulled something from his pocket.
A phone.
He handed it to the elders, and the moment they looked at the screen, their faces twisted with disgust.
Sloane's stomach churned.
What—?
The elder turned the phone so the crowd could see.
A video played. Sloane in bed with a man she didn't recognize. Her mind blanked. That wasn't her. It couldn't be her.
A sharp murmur rippled through the crowd.
"She betrayed the Alpha?"
"She mated with another?"
"Was he even the father of the dead pup?"
"Whore!"
The voices blurred together, a deafening roar in her ears.
"No," Sloane whispered, shaking her head. "This isn't real. This is—this is fabricated."
Ryland's expression was unreadable, calm even. "I don't want to be with you a single moment longer."
Sloane's world tilted. She turned to her father again, rushing towards him, she held his hand in hers. Tears starting to leak from her eyes. "D-Dad, You know this isn't true." Her voice trembled.
Her father jerked his hand free roughly, disgust clouding his features. "Don't call me dad. You have brought shame and disappointment to my name and for that I will never forgive you. You choose this path so walk it."
Sloane fell to her feet, There was no fight left in her anymore.
The elder's voice cut through. "Sloane of the Vaeloria pack, for your betrayal of your mate and your Alpha, your punishment is exile."
Sloane barely reacted as the warriors. The warriors stepped forward, grabbing her arms, dragging her toward the border.
As Sloane was dragged forward, the world around her became nothing but a dull hum. She barely felt the rough grip on her arms, barely registered the sharp rocks cutting into her bare feet.
It didn't matter, nothing mattered anymore.
She had lost everything.
Her baby. Her mate. Her pack.
Her father wouldn't even look at her.
The warriors forced her forward, towards the border. The moment she crossed them, she would be nothing. No pack, no protection, no home.
She didn't resist. Didn't fight it.
She was so tired.
And then—A voice cut through the chaos. Deep and commanding.
"Let go of her."